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Entering the 2019-20 NBA season, the Eastern Conference trails the Western Conference in terms of quality, although there will still be plenty of competition to make the playoffs. Just three wins separated the sixth seeded Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat in tenth place last season and much of the East has made additions during a busy offseason.
Nevertheless, there is still a significant gap between the teams at the top of the Conference and those that will spend the next seven months fighting it out for one of the final playoff spots. So, ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season, here we will take a look at the five teams best equipped to dominate the East.
#5 Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets enjoyed the strongest offseason out of all the teams in the Eastern Conference after beating out the New York Knicks to sign the All-Star duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. However, KD is set to miss the entire 19-20 season through injury and there are question marks as to how Irving will respond to the Nets' roster following his well-documented issues in Boston.
On the court, Irving is a huge improvement over the departed D'Angelo Russell, although the Nets frontcourt lost Jared Dudley, DeMarre Carroll and Ed Davis. Wilson Chandler will also miss 25 games through suspension, while DeAndre Jordan's decline in recent years has been well documented.
Nevertheless, Caris LeVert could develop into a second star until Durant returns while Jarrett Allen should be able to build on his promising 18-19 campaign. Ultimately, the Nets will be competitive over the next seven months, although they don't appear ready to challenge for a title.
#4 Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors were handed a big boost last week after Pascal Siakam agreed on a new five-year contract with the team. Kyle Lowry also penned a one-year extension just days earlier and it seems that the Raptors are determined to at least enter the season with the aim of defending their NBA championship.
Nevertheless, the loss of Kawhi Leonard cannot be understated, while Danny Green's effort on both ends of the court will also be missed. Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby will get more game time as the Raptors have one-eye on the future, while the aging duo of Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol will be motivated as they look to earn a new deal next summer.
Ultimately, the Raptors could still opt to offload its veterans ahead of the trade deadline, although as it stands, the current roster is more than good enough to hold their own against the top teams in the East.
#3 Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics lost Kyrie Irving in free agency, although the All-Stars departure could prove to be a blessing following his frequent criticisms of the roster. By the end of the disappointing 18-19 season, it was also clear that Jayson Tatum needed to get away from the ball-dominant Irving, and the 21-year-old is primed to enjoy a huge season as he leads the Celtics offense for the first time.
In terms of signings, the Celtics bought in Kemba Walker and Enes Kanter, and while Walker is an excellent replacement for Irving, there are big doubts regarding Kanter's defense. Nevertheless, the Celtics could be handed a significant boost if Gordon Hayward can build on his encouraging offseason, and Jaylen Brown will also put up big numbers as he looks to earn a max-contract extension.
#2 Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers were among the busiest teams in free agency, although there is plenty of debate whether the roster has improved. The Sixers managed to bring in Al Horford and Josh Richardson while also signing Tobias Harris to a long-term deal, although the team lost the starting duo of Jimmy Butler and JJ Redick.
Whether the Sixers have improved or not, they still enter the new campaign automatically among the best teams in the East due to a lack of competition, and a top-four playoff spot appears almost certain.
Nevertheless, Philadelphia's ability to contend for a title will be down to the performances of its star trio. After earning a significant deal, there will be plenty of pressure on Harris to make more of an impact on the offensive end following the departure of Butler. Meanwhile, Joel Embiid's health and Ben Simmons' ability to develop a jump shot will also play a crucial role.
#1 Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks faced a difficult offseason where several important players hit free agency, although the team came out well. While Malcolm Brogdon's departure will hurt in the long-run, the Bucks will be able to contend over the next few seasons after retaining the trio of George Hill, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez.
The Bucks also added much-needed depth by bringing in Wesley Matthews, Kyle Korver, and Robin Lopez - and the team enters the new season in an arguably stronger than they did last October.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo tipped to once again take home the MVP award, the Bucks should be able to post 60 plus wins for a second straight season, and following Kawhi Leonard's move to the West, anything but an NBA Finals appearance will be considered a disappointment.
